Solitary Expansion
“Socrates taught what Meletus loath’d as
a nation’s bitterest curse, and Caiaphas was in his own mind a
benefactor to mankind. Both read the Bible day and night, but thou read’st
black where I read white” (Blake). It is strangely
fulfilling to seek knowledge of the spiritual and divine. A gnostic prides
himself on knowing all texts and customs of his faith. One memorizes scripture
and history for enjoyment, as well as recognizes how little many of the same
faith have learned. While a gnostic is generally a believer in the Christian
God, I take a gnostic view of the ever-criticized Wicca.
In each religion, a group of mildly ignorant believers
accepts faith into their days and practices the principles that others have
taught them. Gnostics are often the teachers, or preachers, who want to help
others understand their beliefs. Just as often, those who strictly educate
themselves on their religion feel superior to the common believers. In studying
the origins and fundamental concepts of Wicca, I have become a silent
intellectual. The significance of the
Sabbats and the history of Paganism are interesting and beneficial to the solitary
Wiccan, but are not meant to be taught to others. The expansion of knowledge
only develops the faith of he who learns on his own.
Belief is meant to give greater meaning and a better
outlook on one’s life; religion has been too often used to organize and control
the lives of many. Christianity adapted the traditions and dates of the Roman
holy days to the worship of Jesus and the Old Testament to aide in mass
geographical conversion. The answer of modern believers is most kindly
hesitative at the inquiry towards their reasons to believe. “When ye have and
hold a need, hearken not to others’ greed. With a fool no season spend, nor be
counted as his friend… True in love must ye ever be lest they love be false to
thee” (Thompson). The solid and open ideals of Wicca are pure and hold no hidden
purpose or reason. Honor is the only justification for obeying the Wiccan Rede.
I often find the accepted view of Witches in previous and
present times amusing in its purely uneducated bias. The modern Wiccan believes
in no ultimate evil, much less worships the Christian Satan. William Blake
separated himself from the Anglican tradition, recognizing, “Truly My Satan thou art but a Dunce and dost not know the Garment from the Man. Every Harlot was a Virgin once, nor canst thou ever change Kate into Nan.” Gnostics seem
always to find truth in their faith that others repute.
I recognize and accept the views of
the transcendentalist, the romantic, and the existentialist; I share the
practical ideals of each philosophy. However, the framed window to see each
belief separately is what the gnostic works to avoid. A transcendentalist
emphasizes intuition over logic. Romantics obsess over nature and imagination
while existentialists advocate isolation and direct consequence. I choose to
study and utilize what these stand for as well as what they oppose.
The principles of a gnostic are mainly
intellectual and only spiritual in the sense of accuracy. It is not useful to
practice beliefs one does not fully understand. Still, it is not for the learned to tell the
ignorant what they should want to know. “When I tell the truth, it is not for
the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending
those that do” (Blake). I study Wicca to learn
about and further my faith, never to attempt to convert others. Belief should
never be a universal unifier or divider; nether still should any gnostic or
otherwise believe his is the only way.
Works
Cited
Blake,
William. “The Everlasting Gospel”. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-everlasting-
gospel/
“To The Accuser Who Is the God of This World”. http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-the-accuser-who-is-the-god-of-this-world/
http://www.quoteland.com/author.asp?AUTHOR_ID=240
Thompson, Lady Gwen. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiccan_Rede#The_Long_Rede
